Behaviors in Agile Teams and reflections based on some neuroscience functions

personality traits, neuroplasticity, decision making and mirror neurons

Abstract

Agile teams consist of two or more professionals who work in a socio-technical manner, guided by objectives, with a sense of effectiveness, promptness, and competence. Therefore, it is necessary to study their composition, behaviors, how they execute and interact in activities, minimize errors, avoid procrastination, presenteeism, non-legal absenteeism, and strive for productivity and effectiveness in delivering results in teams with different specialties. As a result, they have caught the attention of researchers. This essay addresses, as an innovation, the discussion, influences of some brain functions, from Neuroscience, operating in relationships in Agile Teams, such as the influence of personality traits, neuroplasticity (learning) and mirror neurons (empathy) and collaboration in work teams in decision making. Agile methods provide a flexible and collaborative environment, allowing team members to actively engage in the decision-making process. The methodology adopted, in addition to the authors' experience in the subject, consisted of an integrative review of empirical texts and essays using Boolean-combined keywords in academic literature databases. The conclusions indicate, as expected, that individuals' personality types induce different forms of interactional within agile teams. The existence of neuroplasticity, the formation and recruitment of new neural networks (engrams), enables individuals to develop skills through training and continuous practice, engaging in planned routines, and responding to contingencies in an agile manner. Mirror neurons play a role in empathy formation and in building more effective interpersonal relationships within and among teams. These constructs are interconnected, contributing to greater effectiveness and behavioral cohesion in the execution processes of activities that require commitment, engagement, accountability for results, and high performance.